Gillikin Country
Encyclopedia
The Gillikin Country is the northern division of L. Frank Baum
's land of Oz
. It is distinguished by the color purple
worn by most of the local inhabitants as well as the color of their surroundings.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Note:
The Gillikin Country is the only province of Oz not mentioned by name or visited by the characters in this particular book. The following locations are merely referenced by various characters through the story.
The Marvelous Land of Oz
The Tin Woodman of Oz
The Magic of Oz
Glinda of Oz
Kabumpo in Oz
The Giant Horse of Oz
The Purple Prince of Oz
Yankee in Oz
's revisionist Oz novels Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
and Son of a Witch
, the Gillikin Country is simply called 'Gillikin'. It is portrayed as more prosperous and industrially developed than other regions of Oz, and is home of Shiz University. Galinda (i.e. Glinda
) hails from Gillikin, as do (according to some) the ruling Ozma
family. The people of this province are referred to as 'Gillikinese', and are distinguishable by their prominent foreheads and slightly gapped front teeth. They often have heads of curling blond
hair, and are believed to be temperamental by non-Gillikinese.
Much of both of Edward Einhorn
's modern Oz novels, Paradox in Oz
and The Living House of Oz, are set in Gilikin County, specifically in the kingdom of Tonsoria, homes to Princesses Ayala and Talia, and in Absurd City, home of the Parrot-Ox.
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
's land of Oz
Land of Oz
Oz is a fantasy region containing four lands under the rule of one monarch.It was first introduced in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, one of many fantasy countries that he created for his books. It achieved a popularity that none of his other works attained, and after four years, he...
. It is distinguished by the color purple
Purple
Purple is a range of hues of color occurring between red and blue, and is classified as a secondary color as the colors are required to create the shade....
worn by most of the local inhabitants as well as the color of their surroundings.
Elements in Gillikin Country
Like all of the countries of Oz, the Gillikin Country contains various unusual sights and places. Among them are:The Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
Note:The Gillikin Country is the only province of Oz not mentioned by name or visited by the characters in this particular book. The following locations are merely referenced by various characters through the story.
- The forest of the Winged MonkeysWinged monkeysWinged monkeys are characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, of enough impact between the books and the 1939 movie to have taken their own place in popular culture, regularly referenced in comedic or ironic situations as a source of evil or fear.-Details:In the original Oz novels, these were...
, creatures that obey whoever wears the enchanted Golden Cap - The palace of the Good Witch of the NorthGood Witch of the NorthThe Good Witch of the North is a fictional character in the Land of Oz, created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the elderly and mild-mannered Ruler of the Gillikin Country...
(never actually mentioned, but assumed to exist because the Good Witch of the North rules this particular province) - The rubyRubyA ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires...
palace of Gayelette
The Marvelous Land of OzThe Marvelous Land of OzThe Marvelous Land of Oz: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, commonly shortened to The Land of Oz, published on July 5, 1904, is the second of L. Frank Baum's books set in the Land of Oz, and the sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This and the next...
- Jellia JambJellia JambJellia Jamb is a fictional character from the Oz series by L. Frank Baum. She is the head of all the maids at the palace in the Emerald City and in The Road to Oz, is described as Princess Ozma's favorite servant...
reports to have been born a Gillikin. - The house of Mombi, a witch whom the WizardWizard (Oz)The Wizard of Oz, known during his reign as The Great and Powerful Oz, is the epithet of Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkel Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs, a fictional character in the Land of Oz, created by American author L...
hired to transform and keep hidden OzmaPrincess OzmaPrincess Ozma is a fictional character in the Land of Oz, created by L. Frank Baum. She appears in every book of the series except the first, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz .She is the rightful ruler of Oz, and L...
, the rightful ruler of Oz.
The Tin Woodman of OzThe Tin Woodman of OzThe Tin Woodman of Oz: A Faithful Story of the Astonishing Adventure Undertaken by the Tin Woodman, Assisted by Woot the Wanderer, the Scarecrow of Oz, and Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter is the twelfth Land of Oz book written by L. Frank Baum and was originally published on May 13, 1918...
- The village of Loonville, whose balloonBalloonA balloon is an inflatable flexible bag filled with a gas, such as helium, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, oxygen, or air. Modern balloons can be made from materials such as rubber, latex, polychloroprene, or a nylon fabric, while some early balloons were made of dried animal bladders, such as the pig...
-like inhabitants warn strangers to stay away from their clearing (the Loons can also become too puffed-up) - Yoop Castle, where a female giant Yookoohoo lived and ruled her valley
- DragonsEuropean dragonEuropean dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
living beneath the Earth's surface, allowed to come out once every 100 years in search of food
The Magic of OzThe Magic of OzThe Magic of Oz: A Faithful Record of the Remarkable Adventures of Dorothy and Trot and the Wizard of Oz, Together with the Cowardly Lion, the Hungry Tiger and Cap'n Bill, in Their Successful Search for a Magical and Beautiful Birthday Present for Princess Ozma of Oz is the thirteenth Land of Oz...
- The Forest of Gugu, ruled by Gugu the Leopard King with his counselors Loo the Unicorn, Rango the Gray Ape, and Bru the Bear.
Glinda of OzGlinda of OzGlinda of Oz: In Which Are Related the Exciting Experiences of Princess Ozma of Oz, and Dorothy, in Their Hazardous Journey to the Home of the Flatheads, and to the Magic Isle of the Skeezers, and How They Were Rescued from Dire Peril by the Sorcery of Glinda the Good is the fourteenth Land of Oz...
- Giant purple spiderSpiderSpiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s that catch travelers in their webs and make them their servants - Mist Maidens, fairiesFairyA fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
who live in a fog bank - Flatheads, people living on a mountaintop whose heads are flat and, until the end of the book, must carry their brainBrainThe brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
s in a can in their pockets - Skeezers, once friends and now rivals of the Flatheads who live within a glassGlassGlass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
city in the middle of a lake - Reera the Red, a Yookoohoo preferring her privacy who specializes in transformations
Kabumpo in OzKabumpo in OzKabumpo in Oz is the sixteenth Oz book, and the second written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was the first Oz book fully credited to her. Kabumpo in Oz (1922) is the sixteenth Oz book, and the second written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was the first Oz book fully credited to her. Kabumpo in Oz...
- Pumperdink, an elaborate fairy tale kingdom known for dipping its criminals in ink. Ruled by King Pompus and Queen Pozy Pink. KabumpoKabumpoKabumpo, the Elegant Elephant of Pumperdink, is a fictional character in the Oz books of Ruth Plumly Thompson.Kabumpo first appears in Kabumpo in Oz, Thompson's second Oz book. He was originally a christening gift to the king of Pumperdink, Pompus. He reappears to play major roles in The Lost King...
the elegant Elephant is their most famous counselor; Prince Pompadore is their son.
The Giant Horse of OzThe Giant Horse of OzThe Giant Horse of Oz is the twenty-second in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the eighth written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was Illustrated by John R...
- Up Town, proclaimed the capital city of the Gillikin Country after the abandonment of post by the Good Witch of the North. ruled by Joe King and Queen Hyacinth, who are famous for their horse, High Boy, a large, purple animal with telescoping legs.
The Purple Prince of OzThe Purple Prince of Ozthumb|200px|Cover of The Purple Prince in Oz.The Purple Prince of Oz is the 26th in the series of Oz books created by L. Frank Baum and his successors, and the 12th written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was illustrated by John R...
- Regalia, sister city to Pumperdink, home of Prince Randy
Yankee in OzYankee in OzYankee in Oz is a 1972 Oz novel by Ruth Plumly Thompson. It was the first published by The International Wizard of Oz Club. A letter from the Henry Regnery Company, which bought Reilly & Lee, is reproduced in the front indicating the publisher's blessing for the new Oz book to appear...
- Upandup Mountain, home of Badmannah
- The village of the Lanternesians
- Dinker's shop of smokables
Appearances in Modern Works
In Gregory MaguireGregory Maguire
Gregory Maguire is an American writer. He is the author of the novels Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, and many other novels for adults and children...
's revisionist Oz novels Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, is a parallel novel published in 1995 written by Gregory Maguire and illustrated by Douglas Smith. It is a revisionist look at the land and characters of Oz from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, its sequels, and the...
and Son of a Witch
Son of a Witch
Son of a Witch is a fantasy novel written by Gregory Maguire. The book is Maguire’s fifth revisionist story and the second set in the land of Oz originally conceived by L. Frank Baum. It is a sequel to Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West...
, the Gillikin Country is simply called 'Gillikin'. It is portrayed as more prosperous and industrially developed than other regions of Oz, and is home of Shiz University. Galinda (i.e. Glinda
Glinda
Glinda is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the most powerful sorceress of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country south of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.- Literature :Baum's 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
) hails from Gillikin, as do (according to some) the ruling Ozma
Ozma
Ozma may refer to:* Ozma of Oz, a 1907 and third book in the Oz series* Ozma , a 1989 album by the Melvins* Ozma , a rock band from Pasadena, California* Ozma Wars, a 1979 arcade game...
family. The people of this province are referred to as 'Gillikinese', and are distinguishable by their prominent foreheads and slightly gapped front teeth. They often have heads of curling blond
Blond
Blond or blonde or fair-hair is a hair color characterized by low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin. The resultant visible hue depends on various factors, but always has some sort of yellowish color...
hair, and are believed to be temperamental by non-Gillikinese.
Much of both of Edward Einhorn
Edward Einhorn
Edward Einhorn is an American playwright, theater director, and novelist, noted for the comic absurdism of his drama and the imaginative richness of his literary works....
's modern Oz novels, Paradox in Oz
Paradox in Oz
Paradox in Oz is a 1999 novel written by Edward Einhorn. As its title indicates, the book is an entry in the series of books about the Land of Oz written by L. Frank Baum and a host of successors.-The book:...
and The Living House of Oz, are set in Gilikin County, specifically in the kingdom of Tonsoria, homes to Princesses Ayala and Talia, and in Absurd City, home of the Parrot-Ox.